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July 14, 2007
Blue Mountains of Washington with Ken Knittle
The WOS field trip began Sat. night at Boundary Campground in southern Garfield County south of Pomeroy. The night sky was alive with Common Nighthawks and a Common Poorwill flew through the edge of the burn, which is next to the campground right before dawn. Instead of going up Scoggin Ridge we went down and began our day at Pataha Creek with Veeries singing loudly. As we birded our way east on Peola Rd. we found both Brewer's and Grasshopper Sparrows. Alpowa Creek mouth produced a Bufflehead and a female Lesser Scaup, unusual birds for mid-summer. The wildlife management area just east of Chief Timothy Park produced several Gray Catbirds and Yellow-breasted Chats. Just west of Clarkston up on the high rock cliff sat a Peregrine Falcon. Swallows Park and then up Asotin Creek to Lickfork Creek produced many species. No Short-eared Owls were seen on Onstot Rd. But we did find a Yellow-headed Blackbird, another Bufflehead, and a Cinnamon Teal at Savage Ponds. The day was warm when we stopped by Fields Spring State Park before we headed over to the Wenatchee Guard Station and back to Fields Spring State Park for the night. Our only Swainson's Hawk of the trip flew over us near the Wenatchee Guard Sta. which was unexpected at such a high elevation. This first day netted us 98 species seen in Asotin Co. The Poorwill, Veeries, and Brewer's Sparrows were seen in Garfield Co.
The second day July 2 was mainly mountain birding. We began at Fields Spring State Park and headed down to the Grande Ronde River while the air was still cool. Several Red-eyed Vireos were singing on some of the side creeks. A herd of Bighorn Sheep was seen on the high hillside overlooking the Grande Ronde River. We checked several roads up on Grouse Flat and found some interesting wetlands, which need to be explored at a later date. Brewer Sparrows were singing just north of the small cemetery on Grouse Flat. FR 40 was great to view the steep ridges and valleys that run down to Grouse Flats and Grouse Flats is a long way up a switchback road from Troy, OR. We made a brief stop at Misery Springs and birded our way east to Wenatchee Guard Station where we had been the day before. This day was absolutely the best in terms of super mountain scenery where one would like to spend the summer soaking up the views. Right after driving into Asotin Co. from Wickiup Campground at an old clearcut we had many Brewer's Sparrows singing. This seemed very high in elevation for such a species. The hot afternoon was spent driving up to Kamiak Butte County Park where we spent our third night.
The third day July 3 began with birding Kamiak Butte Co. Park before working our way over to Steptoe Butte by way of Glenwood Rd. Wild Turkeys were encountered along Glenwood Rd. The ditch before the entrance to Steptoe Butte produced a Common Yellowthroat which was seen when stopping to see two Gray Partridges. The picnic area was crawling with passerines including the still singing Clay-colored Sparrow. Many Brewer's Sparrows were singing everywhere. At the lower parking lot between red-flagged bushes we looked and looked for the Black-throated Sparrow and was just giving up when there it was. Quick stops were made at LaCross, Washtucna, Palouse Falls before ending up in Columbia County for the rest of the day. Washtucna was hot and the only notable birds were the Eurasian Collared-Doves and 2 "Tom" Wild Turkeys. A Prairie Falcon was near the entrance to Palouse Falls. At the falls were White-throated Swifts and a Peregrine Falcon. The Last Chance Store up the Tucannon had a bird feeder and two hummingbird feeders. We try to stop and buy a few items and let the owner know we appreciate his feeders behind the store. As the temperature got warmer we were gaining elevation so we could bird all afternoon. We checked several burn areas and found a nesting American Three-toed Woodpecker pair in a short small snag. Right before Godman Springs we had a fly-by Merlin. We didn't know they were even in the Blue Mts. during mid-summer. We stopped by Rainbow Lakes and then headed up to Godman and then east to Tepee Trailhead where we spent our last night and enjoyed the solitude and beautiful scenery looking south to the Wallowa Mts. Nesting Williamson's Sapsuckers were making lots of trips back to the nest hole with food.
On our way out of Tepee Trailhead July 4 we again found high elevation singing Brewer's Sparrows. This is surely odd in finding Brewer's Sparrows all over. At the ponds at Godman Spring we saw a family of Brown Creepers playing tag on old growth fir trees. They seemed fresh out of the nest. Winter Wrens, Fox Sparrows, and Varied Thrush were singing as we left the high country. We went our separate ways at the Lewis & Clark Trail State Park.
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Washington Ornithological Society. 12345 Lake City Way NE, #215. Seattle, WA 98125. Information@WOS.org |